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On this tour we use knowledgeable Sri Lankan tour leaders with a strong love for their own country, its rich culture and traditions, and a desire to share its wonders with you. They’ll seek out opportunities to show and involve you in everyday Sri Lankan life; for example stopping off at the roadside to watch toddy tappers at work, paying a visit to a village brick kiln or passing around unusual and exotic fruits purchased in the local market. A favourite part of this tour for many travellers is our trip around some of the villages near to Giritale by “Land Master”, (a two wheeled tractor with a trailer) the most common and versatile mode of transport of the farming communities, during which we visit a chena or paddy cultivation of a local farmer.
As well as proving many opportunities for 2 way cultural interaction with the friendly Sri Lankans, your visit also helps provide much needed income to the local people. Tourism is a major part of the Sri Lankan economy yet has suffered since the Tsunami of 2004. All our suppliers in Sri Lanka are local, from our ground agents to transport providers, hotels and tour crew. Just by visiting Sri Lanka with us you help make a difference to many people and their families. Whilst on the tour, there are also many opportunities to spread the positive financial impact of your visit, for example we will eat out at local restaurants and there will be opportunities to shop for traditional crafts such as batik or woodcarvings in both markets and at the workshops where they are made. Our interest also helps to keep the skills in making these traditional crafts alive.
Sri Lanka is famous for its wildlife such as elephants and turtle, and our visits to the national parks at Habarana and Minneriya (optional), the Rainforest reserve at Sinaharaja and turtles hatchery at Bentota, helps to supports the conservation of the animals and their habitat. This is both through the financial benefit of or entrance fees but also the interest shown by our visits to such places helps provide the government and local people alike with an incentive for their preservation for future generations to enjoy. On our elephant back-safari we are careful to limit the number of riders per elephant. Our guides in Sinharaja educate us how to respect the rainforest and its inhabitants. We stay in a temporary tented camp in the forest itself, far preferable to the intrusion of a more permanent structure in this pristine environment.
Following the 2004 tsunami, we shipped out urgent supplies of clothing and bedding to Sri Lanka and funded the construction of 60 temporary shelters. In the long term we are working together with the Rotary Club of Sri Lanka, of which our ground agent is an active member, on a regeneration project in Habaraduwa, a community close to Galle on the south coast.
As well as the above, we support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost.
This small group operator is just celebrating its 30th year and was originally set up to enrich people’s lives through adventure travel. They find the family travel experience is very popular and groups gel together quickly. Taking your children to local communities creates an instant fascination and can be a natural ice-breaker. Family adventure holidays can offer an opportunity to learn about other lifestyles and break down barriers. There is great advantage to spending time together, doing things you would never normally consider, as opposed to taking a package holiday where your children are separated and sent off to their own area.
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